OMAHA, Neb. -- Creighton forward Doug McDermott has been named the District VI Player of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association. He is Creighton's first player honored as District Player of the Year by the USBWA since Kyle Korver in 2002-03.

The USBWA has nine districts nationwide. District VI includes the states of Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.

A top contender for National Player of the Year honors, McDermott has
led his team to a 27-7 record and Missouri Valley Conference
regular-season and tournament titles this season.

McDermott leads the MVC with 23.1 points per game and ranks top-three in
the league in rebounding (7.5), three-point shooting (49.7%), field
goal pecentage (56.1%), free throw shooting (86.0%).

During Creighton's 5-0 run that helped the squad capture the MVC
regular-season and tournament titles, McDermott averaged 27.0 points and
7.4 rebounds per game, shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 57.7
percent from three-point range.

He's consistently played his best during some of the team's biggest
games, averaging 30.0 points and 7.5 rebounds as the Jays are 4-0 this
season against teams from BCS conferences. McDermott has also averaged
27.1 points in eight games against teams with top-51 RPI's, including 41
points in a March 2 win vs. Wichita State that clinched CU's first
outright league title since 2000-01.

The junior from Ames, Iowa, became the eighth player ieague history to
win back-to-back MVC Player of the Year accolades, and is the second to
win Most Outstanding Player honors at the MVC Tournament twice.

McDermott has already been named a finalist for National Player of the
Year honors for the Wooden Award, Naismith Award and Oscar Robertson
Trophy.

Creighton clinched its 18th NCAA Tournament bid in school history on
Sunday with a 68-65 victory over Wichita State in the finals of the MVC
Tournament. The Jays will learn their NCAA opponent and site on Sunday
in a 5 pm selection show airing on CBS.